New Deal

MUSKEGON, MICH.- The Muskegon Museum of Art is hosting a nationally touring exhibition from the Smithsonian American Art Museum that celebrates the 75th anniversary of the first New Deal arts program, the Public Works of Art Project. The exhibition is called "1934: A New Deal for Artists. " The exhibition runs through May 6. The 55 paintings in "1934: A New Deal for Artists" are drawn from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection of artworks created for the PWAP and form a visual record of America in the worst year of the Great Depression.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees cashed in his franchise tag for a five-year, $100-million contract with a record $60 million guaranteed Friday, which begs a question the Lions will have to answer in the not-too-distant future: What is Matthew Stafford worth? Stafford is nine years younger and not nearly as accomplished as the Super Bowl-champion Brees, but the two share an agent in Tom Condon, a spot in the record book as two of four quarterbacks in NFL history with 5,000-yard passing seasons, and Stafford is unquestionably the Lions' signal caller of the future.

The $787 billion economic stimulus bill Congress approved 18 months ago is often compared with New Deal programs, which were designed to put people to work during the Great Depression. But while plenty of evidence of those Depression-era programs still exists in parks, schools and other public buildings, the legacy of today's stimulus plan, officially called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will likely be more difficult to see and touch decades from now. The Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County lists about 50 New Deal structures that are still standing more than 70 years later.

SOUTH BEND -- The Great Depression still ranks as the single worst period in American economic history. President Franklin Roosevelt had a plan to turn things around. He called it the "New Deal," and it helped put millions back to work. Some are questioning whether President Barack Obama's proposed stimulus plan could do the same thing today. They were known as the "Roaring '20s" for a reason. Business was booming, stocks were soaring and life was good. It all came "crashing" down in 1929.

Frances M. Holmes, in her April 10 Viewpoint "Obama has blind spot in his vision of the economy," repeats the anti-progressive revisionist line that the New Deal was a failure in dealing with the Great Depression. She says that, "Economically, the New Deal was a bust ... After the make-work jobs were completed, the unemployment rate stood at 25 per cent, and it was World War II that took us out of the economic doldrums. " I am not sure where Holmes got her figures. The following are, I believe, much more accurate.

I just started reading Amity Shales' "The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression. " My choice to read this book of history was driven as much by what is happening in our world today as by what happened 80 years ago. The book is timely because of the banking, credit and jobs crisis that has unemployment and home foreclosure rates soaring. Many people believe that the current economic crisis is the worst this country has faced since the Depression. For most of my life, the prevailing view on the Depression is that The New Deal programs put people to work and perhaps saved the country from the kind of upheaval that led to fascism and communism in other countries.

SEATTLE (AP) -- Pitcher John Lackey and the Los Angeles Angels agreed Monday to a two-year contract extension through 2008 that guarantees him an additional $13.25 million. Lackey, scheduled to start today at Seattle, agreed in January to a $3.76 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. His new deal guarantees him $17.01 million over three seasons, including a $500,000 buyout of a 2009 club option. Lackey was 14-5 with a 3.44 ERA in 33 starts last season. He was second to Johan Santana in the AL with 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings.

SOUTH BEND ? The Great Depression still ranks as the single worst period in American economic history. President Franklin Roosevelt had a plan to turn things around. He called it the "New Deal," and it helped put millions back to work. Some are questioning whether President Barack Obama's proposed stimulus plan could do the same thing today. They were known as the "Roaring 20s" for a reason. Business was booming, stocks were soaring and life was good. It all came "crashing" down in 1929.

MICHIGAN CITY -- Monkey Island and other features at Washington Park Zoo went up to help create jobs during the Great Depression. But one of the symbols of President Franklin Roosevelt's "New Deal" which was designed to lift the country out of severe economic hardship could vanish to make way for new construction. What's known as the "old greenhouse" will likely be demolished and replaced with a central office for police, paramedics, lifeguards and other emergency responders during major lakefront events.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees cashed in his franchise tag for a five-year, $100-million contract with a record $60 million guaranteed Friday, which begs a question the Lions will have to answer in the not-too-distant future: What is Matthew Stafford worth? Stafford is nine years younger and not nearly as accomplished as the Super Bowl-champion Brees, but the two share an agent in Tom Condon, a spot in the record book as two of four quarterbacks in NFL history with 5,000-yard passing seasons, and Stafford is unquestionably the Lions' signal caller of the future.

party review for instances that are under dispute. While we have always respected that process, Major League Baseball vehemently disagrees with the decision rendered today by arbitrator Shyam Das." Braun hit .312 with 33 homers and 111 RBIs last year and led Milwaukee to the NL championship series, where the Brewers lost to the eventual World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals. The Brewers are counting on his offense following the departure of Prince Fielder, who became a free agent and signed with the Detroit Tigers.

MUSKEGON, MICH.- The Muskegon Museum of Art is hosting a nationally touring exhibition from the Smithsonian American Art Museum that celebrates the 75th anniversary of the first New Deal arts program, the Public Works of Art Project. The exhibition is called "1934: A New Deal for Artists. " The exhibition runs through May 6. The 55 paintings in "1934: A New Deal for Artists" are drawn from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection of artworks created for the PWAP and form a visual record of America in the worst year of the Great Depression.

BASKETBALL Bird stays with Pacers The Indiana Pacers are keeping Larry Bird as team president. The team made the announcement on Tuesday after Bird met with owner Herb Simon in Los Angeles. Bird was in the final year of his contract. The Pacers are coming off their first postseason berth since 2006. The team has four starters with three or fewer years of experience, and the franchise will have the financial flexibility to add pieces. Riley, Forman honored Miami Heat president Pat Riley and Chicago Bulls general manager Gar Forman are co-recipients of the NBA Executive of the Year award for engineering overhauls that so far have propelled their teams to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

BASEBALL New deal for Washington Manager Ron Washington has agreed to a new two-year contract with the AL champion Texas Rangers. The deal through the 2012 season was completed Thursday, three days after the end of the Rangers' first World Series. Washington didn't have a contract past the 2010 season, but team president Nolan Ryan and general manager Jon Daniels had made it clear during the season they wanted him back. When hired to replaced the fired Buck Showalter in November 2006, Washington got a two-year contract with two one-year options that were both exercised by the team.

The $787 billion economic stimulus bill Congress approved 18 months ago is often compared with New Deal programs, which were designed to put people to work during the Great Depression. But while plenty of evidence of those Depression-era programs still exists in parks, schools and other public buildings, the legacy of today's stimulus plan, officially called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will likely be more difficult to see and touch decades from now. The Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County lists about 50 New Deal structures that are still standing more than 70 years later.

"Worst president since Hoover. " Democrats have said this at one point or another about every Republican president since, well, Herbert Hoover. That's because Democrats have been waiting for the resurrection of FDR like a cargo cult waiting for one last plane that never comes. Such wishful thinking is rarely repaid. History just doesn't work like that. Lucy will always yank the football away from the Charlie Browns who think history will repeat itself perfectly. Fate, providence -- whatever you want to call it -- has a better sense of humor than that.